Blood Runs Black
by Reigumi
Summary: After being falsely accused of crimes and sentenced to life in jail, Kurosaki Ichigo escapes to wage a war of revenge on the man who put him in this situation. Constantly followed by the Gotei 13, Karakura's police force, Ichigo struggles to remain free long enough to see his revenge enacted. Will Ichigo find a way to bring down the corrupt Gotei and the man of his nightmares?
1. Prologue: Drawing Blood

**AN: Hey everybody. So, this is my first fic, and I'm kinda nervous about how it will turn out. I have attempted to do fics before, but I could never seem to get it right, so I hope this worked out okay. I know this is a short chapter, but it is more just to see how it goes over and to introduce the story a little. Since it is really short, I will post the next chapter in the next day or two to make up for it. Hope you guys enjoy, and don't forget to review :)**

**Prologue: Drawing Blood**

Ichigo looked out of the small, barred windows of the van. The last hour had been a blur, leaving his mind numb and his thoughts contorted into a humming, incoherent mass. Until a week ago he was going about his normal, everyday life, but now look where he was: handcuffed to a steel bar in the back of a police van.

_Dammit, where did things go wrong?_

An image flashed through his head, the face of the man that had gotten him into this situation. The humming mass of confused thoughts was replaced by a deep, burning flame of hatred.

_Him._

Ichigo slammed his head back against the wall of the van in frustration, the metal creating a load thud.

_I can't spend the rest of my life in jail! Not until I kill that bastard!_

He yanked on the cuffs, knowing it would get him nowhere, but not caring.

_I need to get out of here!_

He stopped pulling on the cuffs when he felt the van slow to a stop. The slamming of two doors and he sound of muffled voices announced the approach of the two guards. Ichigo heard a small click of a key unlocking the van doors and looked up. The grey steel opened, giving way to bright afternoon light. Ichigo squinted as the sun's rays hit him, blinding him momentarily. With his sun-hampered vision, he watched as the dark silhouette of one of the guards approached and felt the guard remove the cuffs from one hand.

The guard pushed him away from the side of the van, causing him to hit the floor with a grunt. The guard refastened the cuff and yanked Ichigo out of the van, pushing and tossing him around as if he were no more than a sack of flour.

"We've reached your final destination, carrot top."

Ichigo looked around him. They were in the parking area of Karakura Jail, and all around him he saw cement and fencing. The area they were in was just a small parking area made of cement and closed in with electric fence and a gate leading out of the jail. In front of them stood the entrance to the main compound and a single checkpoint with a guard waiting to check arriving guards ID's. Ichigo looked back at the gate, and noticed that it was still closing. It had only managed to close halfway, and the speed at which it was closing was surprisingly slow.

_This is my chance. It's now or never._

Ichigo pretended to stumble forward, causing the guard to reach out a hand to catch him. When he did, Ichigo threw all his weight against the guards arm, throwing him off balance. As the guard tried to regain his balance, Ichigo twisted to the side, making the guard let go of the cuffs. Ichigo used the guard's confusion and distraction to slam into him with his shoulder, sending the guard stumbling backwards onto the ground. The click of a gun being cocked sounded behind him, and Ichigo's instincts took over. He spun around, raising his leg so that his heel made contact with the guard's hand, sending the gun flying. Again, Ichigo used the guard's distraction to ram him with his shoulder. As the guard stumbled backwards, Ichigo spun around, swiping his foot under the guard, knocking his feet out from under him and making him fall backwards, hitting the back of his head on the cement. Ichigo looked back at the first guard, who had now been joined by the guard at the checkpoint. The first guard had drawn his weapon, and it pointed at Ichigo's chest.

"That's quite enough. Lay down on the ground."

Ichigo glanced at the gate. It was now almost closed, with just enough space for someone to walk through.

_I have to do it now._

Ichigo looked back at the guards.

"On the ground! Now!"

Ichigo glanced at the gate once more before sprinting towards the gap. A shot rang out through the area, echoing off the concrete walls. Ichigo cringed, but felt no pain, instead, the bullet hit the metal fencing, ricocheting off and embedding in the cement. Ichigo barreled towards the ever-dwindling space between the gate and fence. Just as he reached it, he heard another shot and searing pain burst from his arm as the bullet grazed flesh. Ichigo dove through the small gap and kept running, not slowing down at all. He heard the gate click shut and a siren began wailing from inside the compound.

_Great, now what?_

Ichigo continued running, not sure where he was heading, but knowing that he had to find somewhere to hide.

_This is it. I have to make this count. I have to do this, for my friends, for revenge; I will kill you…_

_Aizen Sosuke._

**AN: Okay, again, sorry for the shortness, but I will update probably tomorrow or at the latest the day after tomorrow. If you liked it, please review and let me know. And if you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to post them as well. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 1: Red to Black

**AN: As promised, here is the first chap to make up for the short prologue. Again, I hope you guys like it. I know it might seem like a slow start, but I have to get it to a point where I can pick up the action a bit, so bear with me. And I finally finished drawing the cover :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Tite Kubo does.**

**Chapter 1: Red to Black**

Ichigo looked up at the rundown building. It, like all of the other buildings on this street, was a small, two story building made of brick, but this one was slightly different than the others. This particular building had its windows boarded and graffiti covering the walls. None of the windows were left intact, and a dark, foreboding aura came off it.

Ichigo looked down at the wound on his arm. It had stopped bleeding by now, but the sleeve of his grey jumpsuit had been stained dark red. The burning pain continued to erupt in his arm whenever he moved, making him grimace.

_It's a good thing that it was just a flesh wound._

He looked back up at the building, and as he did, a drop of rain hit his forehead. In a matter of seconds, the rain was pouring down, soaking Ichigo to the bone, and stinging his arm as the rain ran over his wound.

_This will have to work. I should be far enough from the jail by now._

He had been running for almost an hour now, ducking into allies and avoiding main roads in order not to be seen. The sun had already set and thick clouds had moved in, bringing with them this rain. Ichigo ran up the steps to the door of the building, hoping that it wasn't locked. As he reached the door he reached out his hand to turn the knob, only to be reminded that he was still in cuffs.

_Dammit! These stupid things have got to go!_

Ichigo spun around, trying to get a grip on the knob. After three attempts, he managed to grab the door knob and felt it turn. Ichigo threw his weight against the door, expecting it to be locked, but the door flew open easily. He flew through the opening, landing on his rear in the middle of a dusty, barren room.

_Ow…_

Ichigo stood, pushing the door closed with his foot. Looking around the room proved to be very uneventful. All that remained in the room were some old construction tools and a few battery lamps. Walking over to the electric lamps, he sat down in front of one, turning so that he could reach the power button. As soon as he clicked the button, the room filled with pale, fluorescent light, casting shadows on the walls. The room had no furniture and had several holes in floor where the boards had begun to rot. The stairs leading to the second floor were decrepit and did not look as if they could hold the weight of a person.

Among the tools on the floor, one caught Ichigo's eye. It was a pair of old bolt-cutters that had rusted to a point that would have offended any handyman.

_That's it!_

Ichigo quickly went over to the bolt cutters and turned to try and grab them. He managed to pick them up, but as he tried to work the bolt-cutters into a position in which he could cut the chain on the cuffs, he felt the handle slip out of his hands.

_Damn, this is gonna be harder than I thought._

After four more attempts, Ichigo had finally managed to get the bolt-cutters into a position where he could cut the chain on the cuffs. As he closed the cutters, he heard the satisfying sound of metal breaking. With a sigh of relief, Ichigo stretched his arms out in front of him.

_Now if I could just get these cuffs off my wrists._

Looking around at the other tools, he quickly found a small file and began using it to try and break through the metal of the cuffs. After five minutes, he threw the file down, having made no progress.

_Dammit! It works in movies!_

He let out a frustrated sigh. He stood up and grabbed the electric lamp, looking around the room once more. Looking down at the floor, he noticed something that he hadn't seen earlier. There was a section of flooring that had been replaced, leaving a strange patch of nice wood in the middle of the room. Ichigo walked over to the spot. The boards were only loosely fastened, and a small gap appeared between two of the boards. Grabbing a crowbar from the pile of tools, Ichigo pried one of the boards up to see what was underneath. Through the hole formed by the missing board, Ichigo saw that there was a wooden box underneath. He quickly removed the remaining boards. The wooden box was unmarked except for a small carving of a symbol that looked something like a mask.

_The hell is that supposed to be?_

Ichigo began removing the top of the box. When the top finally came off, Ichigo was surprised by what was inside. The items were neatly arranged inside the box into four sections. The first item was an envelope marked with the same strange symbol that was carved into the box. The second item was a folded black jacket. Ichigo took the jacket out and unfolded it. The jacket was tattered and torn around the bottom, and the inside lining was a dark, blood red. Ichigo looked and noticed that there was a pair of worn black jeans under the jacket.

_This will come in handy. I probably shouldn't walk around in these clothes too long. _He thought, looking down at his bloody jumpsuit.

The third item was a small stack of yen, amounting to about 5,000. The final item was what threw Ichigo off. It was a dark, wooden shirasaya with a name carved into the side: Zangetsu.

_Zangetsu? Is that someone's name?_

Ichigo picked up the shirasaya and drew the blade. It was a wakizashi, but the blade was a glistening black, giving the blade an ominous feel.

_What is this doing here?_

Ichigo put the blade down and reached for the envelope. Inside was a handwritten note:

To any who may find this blade,

having spent four years

with this blade at my side,

the darkness of my heart

grows ever blacker.

I have struggled to find reason

behind such an incident,

but the this blood on my hands

only gathers more.

Any erroneous conclusions

I may have made about

the purpose of this blade

have been wiped from my mind.

The blackness of my know

corrupted soul I have

contributed to this sword.

When away from the dark metal,

my soul rests easy,

yet once in contact again,

turmoil stirs in my heart.

Leave this blade in rest,

lest you fall to its spell

just as I and many other have.

This blade may serve your purposes,

but in exchange,

it shall corrupt your very soul.

381

Ichigo stared at the sheet of paper.

_What…. the…. HELL? Darkness of my soul? Corrupted mind? And what does this number mean?_

Ichigo glanced at the sword and scoffed.

_Nut-job._

Ichigo looked back at the clothing that had been in the box.

_I guess I should change into something other than a prison jumpsuit…_

Ichigo shed the bloody material and pulled on the jeans. They were a little tight, but otherwise they fit well. Ichigo looked down at the wound on his arm.

_I guess I should do something about this._

He reached down and picked up the jumpsuit, tearing off two strips of the material. Taking one strip, Ichigo went to the door and opened it. He held the strip of cloth out in the rain, waiting for the material to soak through. Once the material was thoroughly soaked, he pulled it back and closed the door. Ichigo walked back over to where he had left the other strip of cloth. Using the wet cloth, Ichigo began to clean the wound on his arm, grimacing with each touch. After cleaning off the wound, he took the other strip of cloth and wrapped it around his arm, covering the wound.

_That's the best I can do for now._

Ichigo stood and grabbed the black jacket, putting it on. It, like the jeans, was a little tight, but otherwise it seemed to be made for him.

_I wonder who these belonged to…_

Growling interrupted his thoughts, and hunger finally caught up with him.

_Damn, I need to find something to eat._

Ichigo felt around for a hood on the jacket, and found a thin cloth one.

_I guess this is better than nothing_.

He grabbed the stack of yen and began heading out, but something held him back. Ichigo glanced back and his eyes fell on the sword.

_There is no way I can just walk around with that thing…._

Again he started towards the door, but again he stopped and looked back at the blade.

_Maybe…_

Ichigo took the jacket off and picked up the sword. Looking down at the jack, he tried to find a way that he could hide the sword in his jacket. As he looked, he noticed that there was a spot that seemed to have been sown by hand. As he followed the stitching, he found that there was a small piece of cloth that formed a long pocket.

_There is no way…_

Ichigo picked up the sword and slid it into the pocket. It fit perfectly, hiding the blade from view.

_Who owned these things? They thought of everything._

Ichigo pulled the jacket back on and felt around to see if he could draw the sword. He found the blade and drew it, pulling it out cleanly. Ichigo slid the blade back in and felt the back of the jacket and felt a small lump where the blade was.

_I'll have to do something about that. I'll look like I have a hump on my back if I go out like this in daylight._

Ichigo turned to leave, and this time nothing held him back. He walked out into the rain and slid the hood on.

_Now, I just have to find somewhere to get food._

The bell chimed as Ichigo walked into the gas station. He was dripping wet, and the hood stuck to his head like it had become part of him. Ichigo looked around the shabby little place, and noticed that there was only one worker.

_Well, it is 02:00…_

Ichigo walked over to the drinks and grabbed a bottle of water, then turned to the cashier. He was a timid looking guy with long black hair and a nervous look on his face. His name tag said Hanataro.

"C-Can I help you?" he asked, looking almost frightened.

"Uh, yeah. Do you have any cheap food that I could buy? I'm a little short on cash right now."

"W-well, we have some anpan that I was going to have to throw out soon. Y-you could have that," he answered, still looking uncomfortable.

_Well, it's not the best, but I guess it will have to do._

"How many do you have?"

"We have three."

Ichigo nodded. "I'll take them."

"T-that will be ¥1350."

_Damn, more than I was planning._

As Ichigo handed him the money, Hanataro looked up at his face.

"Um, sorry, but you look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

Ichigo froze._ Dammit! He must have seen me on TV for the trial!_

"N-no. I don't think so," Ichigo stuttered.

"I-I'm sure I've seen you somewhere. W-what's your name?"

_What now? I can't just ignore him, that's too suspicious!_

"I-uh Hichigo. K-Shirosaki Hichigo! Y-Yeah, that's it," Ichigo choked out, rubbing the back of his head.

_Shirosaki Hichigo? What kind of name is that? There's no way he will believe that!_

"Shirosaki Hichigo? S-sorry, but that's… kind of an odd name…" Hanataro said, looking as if he was afraid that he might be hit.

"Y-Yeah, I guess it is…"

"H-here's your anpan. Please come again," Hanataro said, bowing.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Ichigo replied, turning to quickly leave.

As he headed out, Ichigo looked out of the window and noticed a large building that he had not noticed earlier. It seemed to be an important building, because there was parking garage next to it and the street in front of it was well lit compared to the rest of the streets in the area. Ichigo stopped and turned back to Hanataro.

"What building is that?"

Hanataro looked out of the window, then back at Ichigo.

"T-that building? That's the police station. I-it's the only station of the Gotei 13 in this area."

Ichigo felt his blood freeze.

_Police station? No way. After all that, I end up at a police station?_

Ichigo looked back at the building, and an idea suddenly emerged in his head. He looked back at Hanataro one more time.

"Do you know where I could get hair dye?"

**AN: I hope you guys enjoyed. I had a little trouble writing this chapter, but I think it turned out descent. Please review to let me know what you think, and if you have any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to post them. Thanks everyone!**


	3. Chapter 2: New Blood

**AN: Okay, new chap! I know that it's been a bit of a slow start, but it will start to pick up from here on out. And thanks to the few people who have liked my story, it keeps me eager to write! As always, I hope you enjoy this chap and please review to let me know what you think.**

**Chapter 2: New Blood**

Rukia looked up at the Division 6 station. Other than the name and number on the side of the building, it looked exactly the same as the Division 13 station on the other side of town. Despite being the younger sister of the Division 6 captain, she had never actually been to the Division 6 station.

_Well, it is not like Byakuya would waste time inviting me to his Division…_

Rukia sighed. If it wasn't for the fact that she was the best detective in Division 13, she wouldn't even be here _now_. She had been selected to head to head the Kurosaki investigation with Division 6, and had been sent to stay in a nearby hotel until Kurosaki was found.

_But they could have gotten a better hotel, the bed was awful…_

Rukia looked back down at the doors and made her way into the building. As she opened the door, she found that the interior was also the same as her Division's station. The plain grey walls and neatly organized desks; the pale fluorescent lighting and white floor tiles; even the slightly decrepit potted plants looked the same. All in all, the lower floors of the station were nothing impressive.

"Rukia!"

Said person turned to see her childhood friend, Abarai Renji, approaching her. He looked out of place in the pale environment with his dark blue lieutenant's uniform, his long red hair pulled into a ponytail, and his odd tattoos that made him look like he was part of some barbarian tribe.

"Hey Renji. How are you?" Rukia asked, smiling.

"Good. Did you just get here?"

"No, I arrived late last night, but it was too late to come and check in, so I just went to the hotel."

Renji scoffed. "And how were the _luxurious _accommodations provided by the Gotei 13?"

It was not uncommon for the Gotei 13 to provided mediocre accommodations to any who were required to travel as part of their job.

"Terrible. My back is still stiff from the bed."

Renji laughed, walking over and picking up a file that was lying on the table.

"Here is the copy of the case file on Kurosaki you asked for. I hope we can get this over with quickly; this case has some nasty publicity already. They're saying the Gotei are losing their ability to keep crime in check since we can't even keep a single murderer off the streets. And what's more, the liable against one of the Gotei 13 officers stirred up trouble too," Renji said, walking over to a small coffee maker and pouring himself a cup.

"Well, this is an unusual case. A lone man escapes custody, knocking out one guard and running away from the jail, all while handcuffed. It almost sounds like a story cooked up by the media itself. People are bound to think that the Gotei are losing their touch," Rukia sighed. The entire Kurosaki case had been trouble for the Gotei 13, and now that the court case was over, this Kurosaki Ichigo was still making trouble for them.

"We currently have two cars out checking Kurosaki's family and remaining friends' houses to see if he went to them after escaping, but other than that, we have no leads," Renji said, taking a sip of his coffee. "He didn't really leave much of trail after running from the jail."

"It seems that we would need to see him or have someone call in his location to get any solid leads," Rukia said, flipping through Kurosaki's file.

"But there is no guarantee that'll happen, and we can't just sit around and wait. We need to do something."

"The only thing I can think of at this point would be to ask the guards that were at the prison which direction Kurosaki ran in, and if they knew anything that would distinguish him other than the obvious. But then again, he could have run for hours and switched directions, so that is not much of a lead."

"We know that unless he found a way to dye his hair or is wearing a hood, he would stick out with his orange hair. We could check the convenience stores around the jail," Renji suggested, leaning against the wall.

"According to this file, one of the guards said he shot Kurosaki in the arm as he escaped. It was just a grazing wound, but being the son of a doctor, Kurosaki would probably be worried about infection and would want to clean the wound as soon as possible. We should check the clinics and hospitals in the area as well," Rukia added.

"I'll inform the captain and get some men out to search." Renji push away from the wall and turned to go upstairs.

Just then, the sound of the door opening made the two look over. Rukia swept her gaze over the man walking in, and felt the breath catch in her throat. He was tall and slim, but well toned and muscular. He had black spiky hair and amber eyes that were looking around the room, searching for someone that might be able to help him. His outfit was one of the weirdest outfits she had ever seen. His black jacket was ripped and torn around the bottom, and the lining that was visible was a dark red. The jeans he was wearing were worn out and seemed to be a size too small for him. The grey shoes he had on looked cheap and had thin soles, like something they give out in prison. But none of that was what surprised Rukia.

"Rukia, is it me, or does that guy look like…"

"Kaien," she choked out. "Renji, you take this one!"

"Wha- hey! You can't-"

Rukia didn't wait to hear his complaint as she quickly took cover in the break room a short distance away. Rukia closed the door and leaned back against it, her heart beating faster than she expected.

_It can't be. How can he look so much like Kaien?_

Her thoughts were interrupted as Renji's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah… I have some information about the Kurosaki case," the man replied, sounding a little uncomfortable.

"Can I get your name?"

"S-Shirosaki Hichigo," the man said, his voice reflecting his embarrassment at the name.

Rukia heard Renji scoff and had a hard time not to do the same.

"I'm sorry; I think I heard you wrong. Did you say Shirosaki Hichigo?" Renji asked, amusement clear in his voice.

"Yeah, you got a problem with it?" Shirosaki growled, clearly not liking the direction the conversation was headed.

"N-no, it's just… an unusual name."

"Does it matter what my name is? Let's just get on with it!" Shirosaki retorted.

"Okay, so what might this information be?"

"I'm guessing you already know about his family situation and history with the law?"

"Yeah…"

"Based on his experiences, I would guess that he would go to his family after escaping."

"We already thought of that. Now is there anything else that might help us, or are you just gonna waste my time with guess work?" Renji asked, becoming impatient with the man.

"He could also be at one of his remaining friends' places. Have you thought about checking Kojima-san or Arisawa-san? Or maybe even Urahara Shoten?" Shirosaki asked, clearly becoming impatient with Renji as well.

"We thought of the friends' houses, but why would we check Urahara Shoten?" Renji asked, puzzled.

"Kurosaki went there a lot as a kid, and the owner isn't the cleanest of people when it comes to the law," Shirosaki replied.

"How do you know so much about this?" Renji questioned.

"Just got curious, so I looked into it," Shirosaki said simply, as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

"That's it? You were just curious? Nothing else to it?"

"Nothing."

"Do you think I'm stupid? There is no way you could find all this out just by looking into it for a day! What is your connection to Kurosaki?" Renji asked, finally losing his cool.

"I don't have a connection with him."

"Che, you think I'm gonna believe that? It's only been a day since he escaped, and you just walk in here with all this 'information'? And you look like you might even be related to him! If your hair were orange, you would be just as ugly as Kurosaki himself!"

"Who the hell are you calling ugly, pineapple head?" Shirosaki retorted, also losing his cool.

_Well, this is going well. _Rukia thought, sighing.

"May I remind you that you're talking to an officer of the Gotei 13? So unless you're also as stupid as Kurosaki, you should watch what you say!" Renji yelled.

"Officer my ass! You look more like some kinda shaman than a cop! Seriously, what's with the weird tattoos?" Shirosaki retorted.

Rukia stifled a laugh at this, trying not to give away her hiding place.

"And I am not that stupid!" Shirosaki added.

Rukia froze.

_Did he just say that 'he' isn't that stupid? Yet Renji said that Kurosaki was stupid. It can't be, right? He must have been defending himself against the accusation that he was as stupid as Kurosaki. It has to be that. Doesn't it?_

"You know what? Forget it. I'll just go to a station that isn't filled with idiots!" Shirosaki stated.

Rukia cracked the door and looked out. Shirosaki had turned to leave when the door opened. A man with brown, wavy hair and glasses walked through the door and past Shirosaki. He was dressed in a captain's uniform of the Gotei 13.

_Aizen-taicho!_

Rukia looked back at Shirosaki and saw that he had stopped short of the door and was looking down at the floor, making his bangs cast shadows on his face.

_What's wrong with him?_

"Aizen-taicho!" Renji said, trying to gather himself after his argument.

"Abarai-kun. How are you doing?" Aizen asked warmly. Rukia saw Shirosaki stiffen, and again wondered what might be bothering him.

"Fine, captain. But… what are you doing here?"

"I just came to see how the Kurosaki case was coming along before I head back to my Division."

"We are following up on some leads now, and this man just came to give us some tips on finding Kurosaki," Renji said, gesturing toward Shirosaki. Aizen turned to look at him.

"Ah, it's nice to know that there are some people out there willing to help. May I know your name?" Aizen asked amiably.

Rukia watched as Shirosaki stiffened again, and then went straight to the door and walked out, never bothering to even look back at Aizen.

_What the hell?_

"That bastard! Who does he think he is, turning his back on a captain of the Gotei 13?" Renji exclaimed, moving towards the door.

"Leave him be, Abarai-kun. Not everyone is as respectful as you," Aizen said. Rukia saw a flash of what looked like suspicion in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared, making Rukia wonder if she even saw it.

"By the way, Abarai-kun, has Kuchiki-san arrived yet? I heard she was supposed to arrive this morning."

"She already arrived, captain. She just had to… run to the restroom," Renji answered, throwing a glance at the door Rukia was using as cover. Aizen must have seen the look, because he looked over at the door as well. Rukia quickly shut the door, leaning back against it again.

"Please give her my regards then. I will keep in touch to hear how the case is coming along. If you need any help, my Division is at your disposal." With that, Aizen left, leaving Rukia with a strange feeling.

_Why is he so involved with such a low level case? Sure, Kurosaki mentioned him in his defense, but the accusations were disproved and charges of liable were added. That should have been enough to satisfy Aizen. And what was with the way Shirosaki reacted to Aizen? Even if you don't like the Gotei 13, it is still considered hugely disrespectful to ignore a captain._

Rukia opened the door and walked out to where Renji was standing, looking slightly disgruntled.

"What the hell, Rukia? You couldn't help at all with that crazy bastard or Aizen-taicho?"

"Where is the fun in helping you? Then I can't see you squirm."

Renji glared at her. "Thanks," he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Any time. Oh, and that comment about you looking like a shaman was surprisingly accurate," Rukia smirked, turning away to go sit down.

"Why you little-"

"Calm down Renji, we still have a job to do. Should we follow up on the Urahara Shoten lead?"

"I don't believe a thing that guy said. He has some connection to Kurosaki. I think we should follow him and see what he does."

"We have no reason to follow him Renji. We cannot just follow someone because you have a grudge against him," Rukia replied, shaking her head at his childish reaction to the man.

_But maybe he has a point…_

**AN: Okay, so the next chap is where things really start to speed up. A lot will happen fairly quickly, and the plot will progress quite a ways, so I am looking forward to posting it. I hope you guys enjoyed this chap and feel free to let me know what you think and if you have questions or suggestions, please post them. Thanks everyone!**


	4. Chapter 3: Blood or Wine?

**AN: Okay, so here is a new chapter. As I promised, more happens in this chapter than usual, especially near the end. I'm not sure how it turned out, so I hope you guys like it. And to those who reviewed, followed, or favorite, thanks. I've been wondering if this fic was any good, but at least some people like it :)**

**kissonthechic: thanks for the review! It really made me glad to know that you like the fic. I'm glad you liked the Ichigo-Renji argument, because I had fun writing it :) As for the grammar issues, thanks for pointing them out. I tried to make sure I didn't have any in this chap, and I will go back and revise the others. And no, Ichi's hair will not be black all the way through, just a temporary thing, because I don't really like it either :p**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, no matter how much I wish I did**

**Chapter 3: Blood or Wine?**

"_Fugitive Kurosaki Ichigo, age 23, is still at large today, three days after his escape from Karakura Jail. After going to court on three counts of murder, one count of malicious wounding, and the additional charge of liable, Kurosaki was sentenced to life in prison, Kurosaki proceeded to attack to the guards and managed to escape, being injured in the process. The whereabouts of Kurosaki are unknown, and the police are releasing no details on the progress of the case. If you have any information, please call-"_

Ichigo turned away from the television, trying to keep his anger under control.

_It wasn't me that killed them!_

He began walking hurriedly away when he ran into something.

"Ow!"

Ichigo looked down and saw that he hadn't run into something, but someone. He looked down at the woman now sitting ungracefully on her rear in the middle of the sidewalk. She must have just come out of the coffee shop he had been watching the news through the window of, because she had coffee all over her suit.

"Dammit! Watch where you're going!" she yelled, looking up at him.

She had brilliant, violet eyes that were currently swirling with an angry storm. A strand of her silky, raven hair hung across her face, which showed her irritation quite clearly. Ichigo held out his hand.

"Sorry. I wasn't paying attention," he said as the woman took his hand and pulled herself up.

"Obviously! Now look at me!" she said, gesturing to her soaked clothes.

"I'm sorry; I'll pay for the dry cleaning."

_Yeah right. You can barely afford your own food, let alone some random woman's dry cleaning._

"You bett-" Something made the woman stop. Ichigo looked at her and saw that she was staring at his face like he had some kind of poisonous spider on his head.

"Um, is everything okay?" he asked.

"Wha- oh, um, yeah. It's just… you look like someone I know," she said, but there seemed to be more to it than that. "D-don't worry about the dry cleaning, I'll take care of it."

"Will you at least let me buy you another coffee?" he asked. The way this small woman was staring at him made him uncomfortable, but he also felt that there was something behind the way she was looking at him, and he wanted to know what.

_What if she recognized me from that news report just now?_

"Oh, no, you don't have to! Really!"

"I insist. I can at least do that much."

"Thank you." The woman averted her gaze.

_What is with this chick? There is definitely something odd about her._

Ichigo turned and walked into the shop, followed by the woman. The shop was small, with only three small tables and the counter, but the line to get coffee was surprisingly long. Ichigo got in line with the woman walking up next to him. As she ordered her coffee, Ichigo looked at the prices on the menu.

_Damn, this coffee is expensive._

Ichigo sought out what the woman had ordered and felt his jaw drop.

_¥950? For one cup of coffee?_

"This must be good coffee," he said under his breath.

"Why do you say that?" the woman next to him asked, looking at him curiously.

_Crap! She heard me?_

"Uh… the line! The line is so long. I just figured that this must be good coffee," Ichigo said quickly.

The woman looked back at the line behind them and nodded.

"I don't usually come to this side of town, but a friend of mine said that this was the best place to get coffee around here," the woman explained, pulling out her phone.

Ichigo watched as she typed out a message and sent it. She quickly put away her phone, but Ichigo had seen part of the text: 'ran into Shirosaki. will be late'

_She knows about my Shirosaki name? Who is this woman?_

"Here is your coffee," the barista said, handing the woman her cup. Ichigo paid for it and turned back to the woman.

"I guess I'll be going," he said, getting ready to leave.

_I need to stay away from this woman before she gets too close to my true identity. For all I know, she might be a cop._

"Wait. Um, do you want to sit?"she asked awkwardly, gesturing to the one small table that was clear.

_Crap._

"Uh… sure."

_Why can't I just refuse? It's not like it would be rude to just say no thank you and walk out. But maybe I can learn something from this woman._

"My name is Kuchiki Rukia, by the way."

"Shirosaki Hichigo." The woman nodded and sat down, with Ichigo sitting down across from her.

_She didn't say anything about how weird a name that is. She definitely already knows about Shirosaki._

"You don't want anything, Shirosaki-san?" Rukia asked, apparently just noticing that he hadn't gotten anything.

"No. I'm kinda short on money right now," Ichigo replied.

Rukia looked down at her coffee, then went into her purse. "I'll pay you back for the coffee then. I didn't realize that you were having economic troubles."

"No. Don't worry about it. I can afford a cup of coffee."

_Even if it is expensive._

"No, just let me pay you back. I don't need any help paying for my own food."

"Really, you don't have to."

"But I want to."

"I don't want you to." Ichigo was starting to get annoyed with her persistence.

"Why won't you let me pay you back?" Rukia asked, also getting annoyed.

"Because I bought it to make up for spilling your first coffee on you!"

"But you need the money more than I do!"

"Just keep your damn money!"

"Wha- why you little-"

"Little? _You're_ calling _me_ little? You barely come up to my chest! You might as well be a midget!"

"Wha-you bastard!"

"You know what? I'm done with this! See you later, if I'm as unlucky as I have been lately."

Rukia sat, stunned as Ichigo got up and headed toward the door. He glared at the people in line that were now gawking at them. As he walked out the door, he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see that Rukia was running after him.

"Now what?" he growled, glaring down at her. She simply returned his glare and shoved her hand against his chest. She opened her fist and let money fall into his hand.

"Take the money! I don't want to owe a bastard like you!" she said, turning on her heels and walking away quickly.

"Che, yeah right." Ichigo dropped the money on the sidewalk and walked away.

/ / / / / / /

Rukia stormed through the doors of the station, ignoring the looks she got from the people in the room. As she passed by the stairs, she caught sight of Renji, who, like everyone else nearby, was looking at her with a mix of curiosity, concern, and wariness.

"Um, Rukia?"

"What?" she snapped, her anger still boiling over. She hadn't been able to cool down since she had left the coffee shop.

_It's all his fault! That bastard Shirosaki!_

"I'm guessing it didn't go well with Shirosaki," Renji said smugly. "You know, when I got your text, I had a feeling things weren't going as well as you thought."

"Don't look so pleased with yourself! We still have no reason to investigate him. Just because the guy is an asshole, it doesn't mean we can send a detail to follow him," Rukia retorted.

"Come on, Rukia! There is something suspicious about that guy!"

"People think you are suspicious, but I don't investigate you."

"Who thinks I'm suspicious?" Renji asked, genuinely confused. Rukia avoided the question by walking past him and onto the elevator that had just opened.

"Hey, don't just ignore me! Seriously, who would think I was suspicious?" Renji followed her onto the elevator, pressing the button for floor three as he did.

"Do you have anything new on the Kurosaki case?" Rukia asked flatly, not leaving any room for a change in topic.

Renji sighed. "Fine, don't answer me," he muttered, earning a glare from the girl standing across from him.

"No, we haven't found anything new. But if we follow that Shirosaki guy, we would."

Rukia sent another glare in his direction, causing him to hold his hands up in defeat. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, revealing a hall lined with closed off, private offices. These offices were held by the seated officers in the division and the lieutenant. Unlike the first and second floors, which were open desks and plane walls and decorations, the third floor was carpeted and well decorated. The walls were lined with art work and the plants were all lush and green, giving the floor a vibrant feel. The glass walls of the offices were decorated with assorted drawings and pictures put up by the officers.

However, despite its drastic improvement over the lower two floors, the third floor was still rather plain. The only places that weren't plain in the Division Stations were the captain's floors. Well decorated and very comfortable, the fourth floor was where the captains held meetings and press conferences and had their own personal offices.

As they stepped off the elevator, Rukia was greeted by the customary hustle and bustle of the third floor. As with all other stations, most of the action took place on the third floor were the officers were. There were people running back and forth delivering case files, receiving orders, and gathering information for their superiors. Despite the captains being on the fourth floor, the nucleus of each station was the third floor.

Renji lead the way down the hall, opening the door to his office and offering Rukia a chair. Rukia looked around. The office was extremely bare, only containing a desk, a bookcase, a file cabinet, and three chairs: one behind the desk, and two in front of it.

"Well, you know how to decorate, don't you?" Rukia said sarcastically.

"Hey, for someone not related to the 'great Kuchiki-taicho', a police officer's salary is not something that you can use to buy a bunch of fancy decorations!"

"Anyway, we need to find a way to proceed with the Kurosaki investigation," Rukia said, trying to get back on topic.

"Why are you so opposed to the idea of investigating Shirosaki? I'm telling you Rukia, we might learn something if we did. I have this feeling that he is connected to Shirosaki."

"Renji, that feeling you have is probably just indigestion. You have no basis for this accusation."

"Why won't you even consider it? Isn't it kinda odd that there has been no word of Kurosaki, but this guy that looks a lot like him walks in here and gives us a bunch of assumptions and conclusions only a person who knows Kurosaki would come up with?"

"I never said it was not weird, Renji. I only said we have no reason to investigate him. Give me a reason, and then we can talk about it," Rukia sighed. This was getting them nowhere.

"I think I might have something for you then. You see, when Shirosaki was leaving, I saw a bulge in his clothing on his back, the shape and size of a short sword, maybe a wakizashi. _That_, if I remember correctly, is definitely against the law," Renji said, looking proud of himself for his observation.

"Renji, it might have just been a fold in the cloth."

"Except this fold didn't move. I've seen concealed weapons before, Rukia. And if there is one thing I know, its weaponry. Just admit that this is enough to investigate Shirosaki!"

Rukia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine, it is enough to run a background check, but it is _not_ enough to send a detail after him."

Renji grinned. "I'll get the computer ready."

/ / / / / / / / /

_That bitch. Who does she think she is? I was actually trying to be nice for once, and that's what I got._

Ichigo turned the corner and looked down the road to where his makeshift shelter was. So far, he hadn't seen anybody walk down the road in front the building he had found after escaping. It was as if the entire street had been abandoned.

_Probably better that no one is around._

Ichigo grimaced and moved his hand to his arm, gently rubbing his bullet wound. It was starting to change color, turning a pale yellow, the color of infection.

_I need to find a way to clean the wound. It might have only been a flesh wound, but it has a large surface area that's exposed. I might as well be walking around drinking bacteria samples._

Ichigo slid his hand down to his wrist, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the cuff that he had pushed up to keep it out of sight.

_And I need to do something about these damn things._

He slid the cuff down, revealing the pressure mark it had caused by being so tight around his arm. He did the same with the other cuff.

_If I had known there were going to be this many issues, I would have stolen the key to the cuffs from one of the guards…_

Ichigo looked up and nearly jumped out of his skin. At the bottom of the stairs leading to the building he was using as a shelter stood a man. He had medium length black hair and green eyes that seemed to hold no emotion. He was pale and had strange green tattoos running from his eyes to his chin like tear streaks. He wore strange clothing consisting of a white collared shirt and a white jacket that came down to the middle of his thigh and flared out slightly. The jacket was trimmed in black, which matched his black jeans.

_Who is this guy?_

"Shirosaki Hichigo, I presume." The man said it not as a question, but as a statement, as if whether it was true or false, it was now a fact.

_Oh great, another one that knows me_.

"What do you want?"

"I was told to speak with you." The man's voice was a monotone, never changing emotion or pitch.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"You do not understand. This is not an option."

"Like hell it isn't! Look, I don't care what you have to say, or who told you to talk to me, but I don't have anything I need to talk about to some freak that seems to be stalking me!"

"What do you know of Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Ichigo froze.

_What? H-have they made the connection already?_

"Who are you?" Ichigo growled.

"That is inconsequential. I must only learn what you know of Kurosaki Ichigo." The man answered flatly.

"Who hired you?"

"That information is not necessary for you to provide the information I require."

"Who the hell are you, bastard! I'm not answering anything until you tell me who the hell you are!"

"My my. Making quite the ruckus out here, aren't we?" another voice cut in.

Ichigo turned to see another man walking out of the alley next to the building. He was tall and thin, with medium length blonde hair cut straight around and with straight bangs. He was also wearing a white jacket, but this one was down to his knees and he had a black shirt underneath it. He wore a dark pair of jeans and had a…. sword!

_It looks like the same exact kind as the one I found!_

"What is a member of the Espada doing out bothering a poor civilian?" the new man asked, looking at the black haired guy. The guy simply stared at him, and then turned to leave.

"This is not over, Shirosaki Hichigo. I intend to complete my mission. Farewell … for now." And with that, the black haired man rounded a corner and disappeared from view.

_What the hell just happened?_

Ichigo turned back to the blonde man, who was now looking at him and smiling.

"Hey there, Shirosaki Hichigo! Or should I say…. Kurosaki Ichigo?"

**AN: Yay, another chap done! I had trouble writing this chapter, but I hope you guys liked it. As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to review and let me know. Thanks everyone!**


	5. Chapter 4: Severed Artery

**AN: Hey guys, sorry for taking longer to update this time, but I had trouble writing this chap. I'm not really happy with how it turned out, but the next chap will be better, I promise. Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed my story, it really keeps me inspired to write :D**

**I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Bleach, but I don't have enough luck for my wishes to come true :(**

**Chapter 4: Severed Artery**

_There has to be something wrong here._

Rukia stared at the screen, trying to find a way that the data might be wrong, but she was finding nothing.

_He has to be here. I've looked on all the other data bases available._

"Hey Rukia, what's taking you so long find one guys name?" Renji asked from his spot in the chair across from her.

"He…he's not here. There is no data in the police records or the census. There is no record of a license or national employment or employment within the prefecture. There is nothing in any of the databases relating to Shirosaki Hichigo," Rukia said, still trying to figure out if there was some kind of mistake.

"What? Nothing?"

"There is no information what-so-ever."

"I told you there was something suspicious about him!" Renji said, standing up quickly.

"But if that isn't his real name, why would he risk coming here using a name that has no background information? If he was really trying to hide, he should have used a fake ID."

"No one said the guy was smart," Renji replied.

_Then who is he? Shirosaki Hichigo…. who are you?_

"Renji, assign a detail to find and follow Shirosaki. We need to find out who this guy is," Rukia said, looking down at the desk in contemplation.

"Who's the lieutenant here?" Renji muttered as he walked out of the office.

Rukia took a piece of paper from the printer and pen and wrote down Shirosaki's name. As she looked at it, she noticed something she hadn't thought of.

_I can't believe it. Why didn't I notice that earlier?_

/ / / / / / / / / / /

_Wh-What? How does he…_

"Wh-who are you?" Ichigo managed to say.

"So you don't deny being Kurosaki Ichigo?" the blonde man asked, amused.

"I-I don't know who you are talking about. My name is Shiro-" Ichigo started.

"-saki Hichigo. Yeah, yeah, I know. You don't want to admit that you really are Kurosaki Ichigo. But, you see Kurosaki-kun, we already know who you are, so there is no point in denying it. We've been following you for a while now," the man finished, walking to stand out on the sidewalk instead of in the alley.

"What?How long have you been stalking me, freak?"

"Oh, since a couple days after you escaped from jail," he grinned. At that moment a rock flew from the alley the man had just walked out of, hitting him in the face. The man grunted, clasping his eye that had just been pelted.

"Owww! Dammit Hiyori! What was that for?" the man whined, looking over at the alley.

Ichigo followed his gaze and saw a short girl in a red track suit that seemed a little small. She had blonde hair pulled into twin ponytail, and one tooth that stuck out over her bottom lip. Hanging on her back was another sword like the kind Ichigo currently had hidden under his jacket.

_They both have wakizashi style blades…_

"He's only been out of jail for three days, dumbass! Just tell him we've been following him for a day!" the girl, Hiyori, yelled.

"But that takes the dramatic effect away from my entrance."

"It's not supposed to be dramatic, dumbass! You're not trying to win a damn award; you're supposed to be trying to recruit this fool!"

_Recruit? Fool?_

"Oh, I'm the fool, huh? You're the one arguing over something useless and beating up your own comrade!" Ichigo retorted.

"What was that?"

"You heard me, snaggletooth!"

"Get over here dumbass, so I can kill you!" Hiyori yelled, lunging forward, only to be caught by her friend.

"Let go of me, Shinji! I just wanna kill him a little bit!"

"Calm down, Hiyori! We are supposed to recruit, not kill!"

"Why do we have to try and recruit this idiot? He doesn't even look like he can fight!"

"Would you two just shut the hell up?" Ichigo yelled, getting fed up with this weird couple. "I don't know who the hell you are or what you want me to join, but I refuse! You guys are insane!"

Hiyori stopped struggling and jerked her arm away from Shinji, turning back towards the alley.

"Fine, come on Shinji."

"Sorry, Ichigo-kun. I guess we forgot to properly introduce ourselves. I am Hirako Shinji, and this little she devil over here is Sarugaki Hiyori." Hiyori turned, punching her partner in the side.

"Where do you get off calling me by my first name?" Ichigo growled.

"Look, dumbass. We are part of an organization called the Vizards. We came to recruit you because we thought you might have some skills and a bone to pick with the Gotei. But since you don't seem like much, it was a waste of our time," Hiyori said, again turning to leave.

"Think about it, Ichigo-kun. We will come back for your answer. Just remember this: everyone in the Vizards has something against the Gotei. We all work towards one goal, ridding this city of their corruption. You aren't alone, Ichigo-kun. We will await your answer." And with that, Shinji turned and followed Hiyori back into the alley, disappearing into the shadows cast by the now setting sun.

_What the hell was that?_

/ / / / / / / / / /

The next morning, Ichigo found himself wandering aimlessly through the streets of Karakura, thinking about all of the events from the day before.

_How much can happen in just one day?_

Ichigo paused to look at his surroundings, and noticed that he had ended up at the same coffee shop that he had passed by the previous morning. An image of a short, raven-haired woman flashed in his mind, and he felt the anger resurface slightly.

_Great. I hope that bitch isn't here this morning. What was her name? Kukiki? No… Chikuki? That's not it either._

The sound of someone clearing their throat jerked him out of his thoughts, and he spun around to see the object of his frustration. The black haired woman stood before him, her violet eyes conveying no emotion.

"Shirosaki-san… I must speak to you for a moment."

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Rukia watch the man before her as he stared at her as if she was mental.

_This guy really is an idiot._

Rukia moved forward and waved her hand in front of his face, leaving only an inch between he palm and his nose. Shirosaki's hand shot up, swatting her hand away.

"The hell?"

"Just making sure there is something in that skull of yours," Rukia answered, shrugging.

Shirosaki scowled down at her, but the frown was quickly replaced with a smirk. He reached out his hand and ruffled her hair.

"What would a midget like you want to talk to me about?" Rukia felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she flushed in anger.

"I am not a midget!" she yelled, smacking his arm back.

"Sure, and I'm a captain of the Gotei 13," he smirked.

"You… Argh! Just follow me!" she yelled, grabbing his arm and jerking him along after her. Rukia felt him tense and heard his breath catch as soon as she pulled on his arm.

_He seems to be in pain, but I haven't pulled on his arm that hard… It has to be him._

When Rukia came to a stop a block away from the main road, she turned to face Shirosaki, who immediately jerked his arm away from her, his other hand moving to grasp his elbow.

"What the hell is your problem?" he complained.

"What? Did that hurt? I would have thought that someone as freakishly big as you would have been built sturdier."

"You little bitch."

Rukia smirked and reached out to pat his injured arm, smacking his upper arm rather hard. He grimaced and jerked back, looking at her with such hatred and anger that it almost scared her.

"So it wasn't me that hurt you. That is a little disappointing to be honest," Rukia said, smiling with a false innocence.

'What the hell do you want?" Shirosaki yelled, glaring at her.

"I just had a couple questions for you." Rukia saw that he tensed up once she said that, and knew she was hitting a nerve.

"I have no reason to answer any of your questions, you freaky little nut job."

"What color would your hair be if I washed out the dye?"

Shirosaki gaped at her, and Rukia took that as a sign that she was on the right track.

"Would it be orange? Such an unusual hair color, don't you think? It would definitely draw attention if people saw an orange haired guy that looked as much like Kurosaki Ichigo as you do. In fact, people might even turn you in to the police thinking you were him."

Shirosaki was still staring at her, his mouth agape.

"No answer? How about another question. Your arm, does it hurt because you were shot while escaping jail?"

Still no answer.

"Okay, zero for two. Last question. What made you think of the Shirosaki Hichigo? I would have tried to come up with something a little bit _less_ like my own name."

Shirosaki again tensed, and alarm flashed in his eyes. Rukia smirked and pressed on.

"You are him, right? Kurosaki Ichigo? The one we've been looking for without a trace for three-"

Rukia froze as the cold tip of a black wakizashi pressed against her throat. Fear spread involuntarily through Rukia's limbs as she gazed up into the angry and slightly crazed amber eyes.

"How did you figure it out?" Ichigo asked quietly, the lowness of his voice making the simple question sound threatening.

"I-It's not like it was that hard," Rukia answered, trying to sound unfazed.

"Let's try this again. How. Did. You. Find. Out," Ichigo ground out, pressing the tip of the wakizashi a little harder against Rukia's neck.

"I… checked the Gotei's database for Shirosaki Hichigo and got nothing. And then I noticed how similar the name was to Kurosaki Hichigo."

"So your with the Gotei… Who else knows you are here?"

_If I tell him no one, what will stop him from killing me?_

"What's stopping you from killing me? I know your secret, so why not kill me to avoid it getting out?"

Rukia could feel sweat droplets running down her face. It was a risky plan, but she had seen his hands shaking like those of a man who was not accustomed to wielding a weapon. She was betting her life on the fact that he was not as much of a cold blooded killer as the court had decided.

"That's a good question. Why shouldn't I kill you?"

Rukia swallowed hard.

_Maybe this plan won't go as I hoped._

The tip of the sword moved away from her throat and Ichigo raised the blade above his head. The black blade glinted in the light, and Rukia felt her heart freeze in fear. She shut her eyes tight, bracing for the pain. She stayed that way for what felt like forever, but the pain never came. Rukia opened her eyes slowly before noticing that the street in front of her was now empty.

_Dammit!_

She ran to corner and looked around, but Ichigo was nowhere in sight.

_Why didn't he kill me?_

The sound of a phone ringing caught Rukia's attention, and she pulled her cell out of her pocket.

"Hello?"

"_Rukia? Where are you? It's almost 0930 and you're still not at work. What have you been doing?"_

"Nothing, Renji. I just need to check something."

"_Did you find something on Shirosaki?"_

Rukia paused a minute, wondering how to answer his question.

"_Rukia?"_

"No, I haven't found anything yet."

"_We haven't found him yet either. Just get to the station so we can figure out how to get this bastard."_

"Okay. I'll be there soon."

Rukia ended the call and put her phone back in her pocket, leaning against the wall behind her.

_Kurosaki Ichigo, there are too many things I don't know about this situation, and you seem to be the only one with the answers. The mysteries surrounding you only seem to grow greater._

**AN: Sorry for the amount of dialogue, but I couldn't think of a way to convey everything I wanted in this chap to without lots of dialogue. I hope you guys liked it! Please feel free to review to let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions or questions.**

**Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 5: Blood Drip

**AN: Hey guys, sorry for the late update. Anyway, no excuses, just my own distractibility. This chapter is a little longer than usual, but it has a lot of dialogue and more language then usual too, so sorry about that. Thanks to all of you who have followed and favorite this story. And a special thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter: Debido; kissonthechic; wynnsy. I finally hit the 10 review mark :D I hope you all enjoy this chap!**

*** nikuman- a large, dumpling type dish filled with cooked pork or beef**

**Chapter 5: Blood Drip**

_Crazy bitch._

Ichigo rubbed his arm that was now burning with pain.

_How the hell did she find out?_

Ichigo crossed the street, turning to head towards the gas station he had found on the night of his escape. As he walked, he pulled out the few remaining yen he had. In total, the bills amounted to a measly ¥950.

_I'm running out of money. At this rate, I won't be able to get food for more than a couple days._

He sighed and shoved the money back in his pocket. This entire 'escape and get revenge' plan was not going as planned. He was short on money, he had a crazy cop after him, and the closest he had come to Aizen was walking past him in a freaking gas station.

_I don't even know how to go about finding Aizen._

Ichigo slowed to a stop and opened the gas station door, and was surprised to see that Hanataro was working again. Every time he had come in, Hanataro had been the one behind the counter.

"Do they ever let you sleep?" Ichigo asked, walking past the black haired guy to get to the drinks.

"H-hello, Shirosaki-san!"

"Hey Hanataro-kun. Do you have anything cheap? I've only got about a thousand yen left to spend." Ichigo placed a water on the counter as Hanataro looked over at the food.

"W-well… I guess I could give you some of the nikuman* for half price. You've been coming in everday, so…I'm sure the manager wouldn't mind…." he answered, looking over his shoulder nervously as if making sure the manager wasn't behind him.

"Does this manager of yours even exist? I haven't even seen him yet. Come to think of it, I haven't even seen any other workers in here."

"W-well, actually, the manager's a woman, and her brother is the only other worker here. They normally just stay in the back and argue," Hanataro laughed nervously, sending a glance towards the door leading to the offices and storeroom.

"Sounds like quite the pair," Ichigo replied as Hanataro got the nikuman.

"Y-yes, they a-"

"Dammit Ganju! What the hell do you think you're doing?! Can't you do anything right?!" a voice floated from the back room.

"But sis, I did exactly what you told me to do!" a second voice answered.

"Did I tell you to screw it up?!"

"No, but I did it exactly how you told me."

"So now your sayin' I don't know what I'm talkin' about?! Do you want to be tied to the support beam again?!"

"W-Wait! Sis… Hanataro, get back here and help me!"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and looked at Hanataro.

"That's the manager and her brother," he sighed, walking toward the door.

However, before he could reach it, the door burst open to reveal a man with black hair, wearing a pale yellow button-up shirt with a brownish-orange stripe down the left side, just like Hanataro. But that was where the similarities ended. The man was muscular and rugged, with messy hair and unshaven sideburns. His grey eyes darted around the room until they landed on Ichigo, and the man began running towards him.

"Gah- What the hell?!" Ichigo yelled, taking a step backwards as the man barreled toward him. He ran around Ichigo to hide behind him, looking back at the door he ran out of. A woman with long black hair, huge assets, and surprisingly enough, a fake arm, came storming into the room. She wore a white strip of cloth on her head to hold her hair back, and a low cut red shirt that showed off quite a bit of cleavage. Her piercing blue eyes landed on the man currently hiding behind Ichigo.

"Ganju! Get the hell over here, dumbass!"

Ichigo tried to move out of the enraged woman's way, but Ganju held him in place.

"Wha- Don't use me as a shield! Deal with her yourself!" Ichigo said, pulling Ganju in front of him.

"You think I want to deal with her?! Just be a man and take one for the team, spiky head!" Ganju yelled back, again putting Ichigo between him and his sister.

"I'm not on freaking team, idiot! Besides, you caused this! What did you even do to her?!" Ichigo yelled as both he and Ganju ran in to one of the aisles to avoid a punch that was aimed at them.

"All I did was stack the boxes like she told me! It's not my fault that I tripped and knocked them over!"

"If you had stacked them right, they wouldn't have fallen over!" the woman yelled, kicking out at him, but Ganju jumped aside, causing her foot to collide with a shelf full of snacks, sending it toppling.

"That's what all this is about?!" Ichigo asked incredulously.

"Yeah!"

"You people are insane! Hanataro, how the hell do we stop this?!"

"Umm… Shiba-san… could you not give the customer a bad experience. He has come here several times in the last couple days. We don't want to scare him away…" Hanataro said timidly.

The woman stopped trying to hit them, and turned to Ichigo, but she still reached out a hand to grab Ganju's collar, jerking him behind her.

"So you're the one who's been comin' in at strange hours in the morning. What's your name kid?"

_Kid?_

"Shirosaki Hichigo."

"Oh! So you're the one I was told to look out for! Nice to meet you. I'm Shiba Kukaku. And this idiot is my brother, Ganju. And it seems you already know Hanataro. So, now that we all know each other, you two can clean up this mess!" Kukaku said, gesturing to the pile of snacks on the floor.

"Wait, look out for me? What does that mean?"

"Clean it up and maybe I'll tell you!"

"But you're the one who made the mess!"

"And I care why? Just clean up the damn store!"

"You better just do what she says, spiky head," Ganju whispered.

"What'd you call me?" Ichigo growled.

"You heard me. Just clean up the mess," Ganju answered.

"You make it sound like you're not gonna help."

"Why should I help you? You didn't help me!"

"Why you… just because I didn't let you use me as a meat shield you think you can make me clean this store?" Ichigo questioned.

"I don't think I can; I know I can," Ganju replied, getting in Ichigo's face.

A fist connected with Ganju's head, sending him sprawling.

"You're gonna clean it up too, ya freakin' dumbass! You started all of this in the first place!" Kukaku yelled.

Ichigo snickered down at the man now on the floor, but quickly stopped laughing when Kukaku glared at him.

"Now clean; both of you!"

Both Ichigo and Ganju sprung towards the mass of snacks spread across the floor, picking them up as fast as they could.

"Good. Send 'em back when they're done here, Hanataro."

"Y-yes ma'am."

After several minutes, they had cleaned up all the bags and boxes of snacks and the shelf was back in its proper place.

"Shirosaki-san; Ganju-kun; Shiba-san said she wants you in the back," Hanataro said, looking at them from the other side of the counter.

"Thanks, Hanataro. Let's go, spiky head."

"Who made you boss, fatso?" Ichigo asked, walking past Ganju towards the door.

"I'm not fat!"

"Coulda fooled me."

"You little…"

"Oi, shut the hell up and get back here, ya damn stupid idiots!" Kukaku's voice interrupted, making them jump.

"Yes ma'am!" the two chorused, rushing to the back rooms.

"About damn time. Now come here and sit down."

The two men complied, sitting down in a sparsely decorated office across from Kukaku.

"You wanted to know what I meant earlier, right?" she asked, looking at Ichigo.

"Yeah."

"I was told by an old friend that you were in the area. Said you might need some help. How much money have you got?"

"Who is this friend of yours?" Ichigo asked, getting suspicious.

"Does it matter? Just answer the damn question!"

"No. I've had enough of insane people coming to me and not telling me a damn thing. You are the fourth person to say you know something about me, but I don't have a clue who you people are!" Ichigo yelled.

"Listen, ya damn freakin' idiot. Do ya want my help or not? You need food to live, and I'm guessing your short on money, since you keep getting the older food from Hanataro and paying very little for it. Unless you wanna starve, let us help!" Kukaku said, staring down Ichigo.

_Can I really trust these people?_

"950 yen."

"And how long do you think you can survive on that?" Kukaku asked, not really expecting an answer.

"A couple days at most."

"Exactly why you should let us help. What food you need is available to you. Just talk top Ganju or Hanataro, and they'll give you what you need."

"But sis, we can't give away food, especially to this guy!" Ganju objected.

"Shut up, Ganju! I can do whatever I damn well please!"

"Sis, this isn't a good business decision!" Ganju said, seeming to be grasping at anything that might make his sister reconsider.

"Ganju! Enough! Get out before I throw you out!"

"Yes, sis," Ganju grumbled, walking out of the door and letting it slam shut after him.

Kukaku turned back to Ichigo. "You're free to come here anytime. Ganju or I will be in the back, and Hanataro is almost always at the counter."

Ichigo stood and walked to the door, turning and bowing to Kukaku.

"Thank you, Shiba-san." Ichigo turned to leave.

"One more thing. Don't worry about us turning on you once we figure out who you are. I already know you're Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo stopped in his tracks and spun around.

"Wha- How did _you_ find out?!"

"It's your own damn fault for choosing such a stupid ass name! And why does it sound like I'm not the only one who knows?"

"These people called the Vizards and a member of the Gotei 13 found out somehow. At this point, I guess I might as well wash out this dye, since everyone knows who I am anyway…"

"Hmm. That's not good. I'll have to contact my friend and let them know. Now get outa here. I'm tired of looking at that scowling face of yours!"

Ichigo sighed and walked out, walking back up to the counter where Ganju and Hanataro stood.

"I'll take four nikuman," Ichigo smirked, glancing at Ganju, who was looking more and more irritated.

"U-umm, okay," Hanataro replied, looking between the two men.

"Here you are," Hanataro said, handing a bag of food over the counter. "That will be-"

"Wave the price, Hanataro," Ganju said gruffly.

"Ganju-kun?"

"Kukaku's orders."

"O-oh, well in that case… please come again, Shirosaki-san."

"I plan too," Ichigo said, still smirking at Ganju.

"Get outa here before I beat you to a pulp, spiky head," Ganju grumbled.

"I'm leaving, but you couldn't beat me if you tried," Ichigo replied, walking out before hearing Ganju's response, a smug look planted firmly on his face.

- Ж-

Rain poured down on Ichigo's head, making his hair lay flat and stick to his forehead. About halfway back to his shelter, a storm had popped up, running most people off the streets with its downpour. Currently, Ichigo was the only one on the street, which was a good thing, considering that the temporary dye that had so far worked well to disguise him was beginning to wash out, leaving little clumps of orange hair in the mass of black.

_Dammit! Where did this rain come from?!_

Ichigo ducked into an alley that had a fire escape near the top that served to block some of the rain, provided a slight shelter from the harsh weather.

_This is just my luck lately._

Shuffling behind him made Ichigo spin around, looking into the dark alley, straining to see anything.

"Hello?"

The shuffling stopped, making Ichigo place a hand on the hilt of his wakizashi.

"Who's there?"

Chuckling echoed through the narrow space as Ichigo drew his blade. A few seconds later, a massive man stepped out of the darkness. He was very muscular, with black hair pulled into a long pony tail and eyebrows dyed orange and pink tattoos framing the bottom of each eye. His dark skin made it hard to see him in the dark light, but his size and clothing made impossible to miss. His clothing was familiar to Ichigo. The man had on a white jacket trimmed in black cloth, with a matching white pair of pants.

"The names Yammy. Espada number ten," the man answered, grinning down at Ichigo.

_Espada? That's what Hirako called that guy from the other day._

"What do you want?" Ichigo asked, keeping his black blade pointed forward.

"I heard you gave Ulquiorra some trouble. I'm here to get the information we need, and then I'm going to kill you," Yammy replied casually, pulling out a hand gun.

Ichigo dropped the bag of food, placing both hands on his sword.

"I think I'll start with the knee caps," Yammy said, a twisted grin on his face as he cocked the gun.

_Dammit, I can't beat a gun with just a sword!_

Ichigo watched as time seemed to slow, Yammy's finger slowly applying pressure to the trigger. Ichigo tried to move, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead.

_No…_

Ichigo's vision went red as blood burst into the air. The brick wall of the alley was painted with a patchwork of blood droplets that mixed with rain to created weird patterns.

_What… the hell?_

A blade had sprouted from Yammy's stomach, the tip dripping in blood. As Yammy began falling foreward, the blade was pulled back, making more blood spill to the ground. Yammy's bulky form fell to the ground, revealing the one who had stabbed him. A swish of green, a shine of blonde hair, and the sound of wooden clogs was all it took for Ichigo to realize who it was standing before him.

"Looks like you're in some trouble there, Ichigo."

"U-Urahara?"

- Ж-

Rukia looked up from the Kurosaki case file as Renji ran up to her, a grim look on his face.

"Renji?"

"Grab your raincoat; we have a 10-54 in district seven."

"What does that have to do with me? I'm here to work the Kurosaki case, not go investigate a possible dead body," Rukia said, looking back down at the file.

She had been trying to find anything that might tell her about Kurosaki's character. Since she had interrogated him, she had this feeling that he might not be a killer, but she couldn't find anything to support that theory. He had been a trouble child since his mother had died when he was nine, he got suspended from school multiple times for fighting, and all the evidence at the crime scene pointed directly at him.

"The victim was stabbed by a sword. It could have something to do with Kurosaki," Renji said simply, as if it was the most logical explanation.

"What make you think it's not yakuza or some other gang? Not everything is related to Kurosaki."

"The yakuza were chased out by the Espada and Vizards, Rukia. Why are you so against finding Kurosaki?" Renji asked, frustrated by his friends lack of reason on this case.

"I'm not against finding him! I am against making assumptions, idiot!"

"Look, the only gang that works solely with swords around here are the Vizards, who are normally peaceful enough. And the only time I've ever heard of the Espada using swords is when they have one-on-one fights with rivals. So it's not like it's an unreasonable assumption!" Renji counter.

"Fine! We'll check it out. Let's go." Rukia grabbed her jacket and walked out, hearing a grumbling Renji following behind.

_What is this Kurosaki? Are you trying to prove my theory wrong? Are you actually just a cold-blooded killer?_

When they arrived at the crime scene, they found it was already marked off, with several police cars sitting nearby. A couple officers were questioning possible witnesses, but none seemed to be getting very far.

"Abarai-fukutaicho." One of the officers said, bowing to them as they approached.

"What's the situation?" Renji asked, ducking under the crime scene tape and holding up for Rukia to walk under.

"The victim was badly injured; took a sword through his stomach. Judging from the angle, it probably came from behind. Poor bastard didn't know what hit him."

Renji looked down the alley, seeing the puddle of blood mixing with the rain that was still falling.

"Where's the victim?" Renji asked, slightly confused.

"He was still alive when we arrived, so we called an ambulance. He is on his way to the hospital now."

"Did you ID him?" Rukia asked.

"No ma'am, but from the clothing he was wearing, we think he might be Espada."

"What?! And you just put him in an ambulance?!" Renji yelled, incredulous.

"We cuffed him before he left, sir," the man answered, cowering back slightly.

"We cuffed Kurosaki, and look how that turned out! Get in a car and go after them! Make sure nothing happens!"

"Y-yes sir!" The man hurried off and got into a patrol car, turning on the siren and speeding down the road in the direction of the hospital.

"A bit harsh, don't you think?" Rukia asked, looking over at Renji.

"Rukia, the Espada are the worst gang around here. We've never been able to catch one of its members. They come out, kill someone, then disappear, leaving no trace. We can't just let one slip through our fingers." Renji explained.

"Abarai-fukutaicho! I think I may have found a lead!" an officer called, running up to them.

"What is it?"

"The woman over there said she saw two men walking away from the alley earlier. Said she remembered because they were both dressed weird. One had on 'a green jacket, sorta like a haori' and a green and white stripped hat, and the other had on a 'black jacket all roughed around the edges' with black jeans," the officer said, quoting from the woman's words.

"Shirosaki! I told you he was probably involved in this! But what is he doing going up against the Espada?" Renji wondered aloud.

"_Abarai-fukutaicho!"_ a voice crackled from the scanner on the officer's belt.

"What now?" Renji grumbled, taking the scanner from the officer. "What is it?"

"_I caught up with the ambulance! They're all dead, every one of them! And the Espada isn't here!"_

**AN: I hope you all liked it! If you guys have any questions, suggestions, or ideas, please review and let me know. And for any who follow **_**Endless Darkness,**_** I will have the next chap up this weekend, hopefully tomorrow. Thanks everyone!**


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